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Chapter 8 |
| 1 | Again the word
of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, |
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2 | Thus saith the LORD of
hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her
with great fury. |
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3 | Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and
will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of
truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. |
| 4 | Thus
saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the
streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very
age. |
| 5 |
And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls
playing in the streets thereof. |
| 6 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts;
If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days,
should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. |
| 7 |
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east
country, and from the west country; |
| 8 | And I will bring them, and they
shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will
be their God, in truth and in righteousness. |
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9 | Thus saith the LORD of
hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the
mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house
of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. |
| 10 | For
before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither
was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction:
for I set all men every one against his neighbour. |
| 11 | But now I
will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the
LORD of hosts. |
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12 | For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall
give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall
give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all
these things. |
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13 | And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse
among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you,
and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. |
| 14 |
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you, when your fathers
provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not: |
| 15 |
So again have I thought in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the
house of Judah: fear ye not. |
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16 | These are the things that ye shall do;
Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth
and peace in your gates: |
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17 | And let none of you imagine evil in
your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are
things that I hate, saith the LORD. |
| 18 | And the word of the LORD of
hosts came unto me, saying, |
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19 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast
of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh,
and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and
cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace. |
| 20 | Thus saith
the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and
the inhabitants of many cities: |
| 21 | And the inhabitants of one
city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD,
and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. |
| 22 | Yea, many
people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem,
and to pray before the LORD. |
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23 | Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those
days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages
of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying,
We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. |
